Flatiron



. June 4, 1940.

H; c;. DAVIS I FLATIROIV Filed Feb. 16, 1959 jwznior: fie/l w MW Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLATIRON Helen Craig Davis, London, England 1 Claim.

This invention relates to flatirons of the kind comprising arms adapted to come into operation automatically for raising the hot under surface of the iron from the work or table surface when the iron is not in use. The object of the invention is to provide a flatiron of attractive appearance which is simpler and cheaper to manufacture than the irons hitherto known as well as providing a more convenient and effective arrangement in which the arms in their inoperative position are held well clear of the work and. cannot become entangled therewith.

For this purpose the flatiron according to the invention comprises a rotatable shaft linked to amovable element on the handle and carrying arms which protrude from the sides or bottom of the iron and support the latter, when inoperative, above the work, the said arms being retracted when the said movable element'is actuated.

The flatiron shown in Fig. 1 comprises an electric heating element I held between a heavy metal plate or weight 2 and the sole of the iron 3 and supplied with the necessary current through leads 4. Bolts 5 hold the weight 2 and sole 3 together and also hold in position a bracket or stirrup 6 carrying a handle I. A hood 8, for example of metal, is pivotally connected at 22 to the fore part of the handle 1 and a spring 9 lodged in a recess 2| in the handle operates to urge upwards the rear part of hood 8. To the rear part of the hood 8 is pivotally connected at its upper end a rod III which passes through an aperture 6' in an extension of the bracket 6, and the lower end of said rod .III is attached tothe' crank II of a shaft I2 carrying the rear arms I3 (see also Fig. 2), the assembly II, I2, I3 being formed in one piece. The front arms I5 are carried by a shaft I4 and the front arm-and rear arm on the same side of the iron are connected together by pivotally attached members I6. The shafts I2 and I4 are accommodated in grooves I! in the weight 2 which is enclosed by a cover I8 having apertures IQ for the passage of shafts I2 and I4. The said apertures I9 are in the form of slots cut in from the lower edge of the cover I8 so that the latter may be placed in position and removed without moving the shafts I2 and I4. The upper end of 5 the slots III are so positioned as to prevent the shafts I2 and I4 lifting out of the grooves II when the cover I8 is held in place by the bolts 5 as shown in Fig. 1.

By way of example one preferred form of em In order to prevent the user of the iron from receiving an electric shock in case of an electric fault the handle I is preferably made of insulating material, for example wood, and the rod III is insulated from the hood 8 by a cylinder 24 of insulating material arranged around the pivot 23. The cylinder 24 may conveniently be of vulcanised fibre and it will then serve also to reduce wear on the bearing surfaces of the pivot 23 and the upper end of the rod II). A similar cylinder may also be provided on the crank I I. slThe hood 8 may conveniently be made of artificial resin or the like.

,When the iron is not in use its operative surface is held in a raised position above the work by the arms I3 and I5 which take up the position shown in Fig. 1, the lower end of rod I!) being held in abutment against the inner surface of cover I8 under the action of the spring 9. the handle I is grasped to operate the iron the hood 8 is at the same time depressed and rod III moves downwards, thus actuating the member II, I2, I3 and raising arms I3 which raise the arms I5 by means of the members IS. The arms I3 and I5 are then in the position shown in Fig. 2, and it will be seen that in this position they are held well clear of the work, the front part of the iron being perfectly free and unobstructed for any desired manipulation. When the hood 8 is released the above described action is reversed and the arms I3 and I5 are lowered, thus raising the hot iron from the table.

It will be understood that various modifications may be introduced without departing beyond the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a fiatiron of the kind set forth a weight having two transverse grooves. a rolling shaft in the foremost of said grooves having its ends bent downwards and adapted to serve as legs. in the rearmost of said grooves a rolling shaft provided with acranked part and having its ends bent downwards and adapted to serve as legs, a cover detachably secured to said weight having slots cut inwardly from its lower edge and adapted to retain said rolling shafts in said grooves, a handle secured above said cover, a hood-like element pivotally mounted on said handle, a pivotally mounted link connecting the rear part of said hoodlike element to the cranked part of said cranked rolling shaft, resilient means adapted to raise the rear part of said hood-like element, and links connecting together the downwardly bent portions of said rolling shafts.

HELEN CRAIG DAVIS.

When 

